Mauricio Pochettino has accused his Tottenham players of lacking the mentality of potential champions.

Spurs boss Pochettino was still frustrated with his stars three days on from the costly 2-1 defeat at Burnley and fears it could take “10 years’ work” to change the way the players think. He claimed they failed to show the attitude, ambition, fight and will needed to be genuine title contenders at Turf Moor.

Ahead of Wednesday’s trip across London to Chelsea , Pochettino said: “I am so frustrated, because we didn’t show more attitude than Burnley, we didn’t show more energy than Burnley, we didn’t show more ambition than them, fighting for big things — the Premier League.

“That is what worried me.

Pochettino hammered his players for losing the sort of game true contenders go and win (Image: AFP/Getty)

“Of course, it’s easy to go to Chelsea and be motivated to play, and play against Arsenal or Dortmund.

“You don’t need a manager that tells you, 'Oh, you need to be motivated, excited to play.’ No, because that’s normal.

“But you play for the Premier League against [sides like] Burnley. It’s dry, the pitch? It’s dry. It’s normal. The changing room is not so big, like at Wembley? Of course it’s not. But come on, you need to respect (the opponent) and the way you need to respect is to go there and show more ambition, more attitude, more capacity to fight and [if] we don’t have the will to show that then we don’t deserve more.”

Pochettino’s frustration was fuelled by having seen his side blow chances to underline their credentials before that setback at Burnley.

Harry Kane and co are five points off second-placed Man City, with Liverpool one further ahead (Image: AFP/Getty)

In December, Spurs climbed up to second by hammering Bournemouth 5-0, then promptly got beaten 3-1 at home by Wolves .

The defeat at Burnley was their first game since thumping Borussia Dortmund 3-0 in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 tie.

After referring back to the Watford loss, Pochettino added: “My worry is what happened and to change that is not only five years’ work — maybe it is 10 years’ work to change that thing that happened here.”

Pochettino believes losing against Sean Dyche’s side shows his players are their own worst enemy.

Spurs let themselves down again, as they did earlier this season against Watford and Wolves (Image: Reuters)

He said: “It’s going to be tough, the possibility to win the Premier League — because of us, not because Liverpool is much better or another is much better. The reality shows that we were not capable to win a game you must win if you want to show we are real contenders. That’s it.”